OUR VISION
Alyosha had visualized providing equal opportunities to capable but under privileged children in the realm of education, so that the true potential of this nation's youth could be realized. Throughout his academic life in school, he excelled in studies and sports with equal ease. He was also passionately committed to fight injustice and inequality in society and had specially chosen Law as his profession to be the instrument to realize this objective. His entire personality has been very appropriately summarized in the obituary written by Dev Lahiri, who was his Headmaster at Lawrence School, Lovedale.
Alyosha was extremely intelligent, compassionate, committed and perceptive; and in a sense a divine soul. As a close well-wisher has remarked "'The Buddha extols us to live as if we might die tomorrow…', Alyosha exemplified this in his amazing foresight and awareness even as a delightful 9 year old, who contemplated with great peace, clarity and equanimity, his own death."
Perhaps he realized the truth that so many of us are searching for, "that there is no death, just a change of states."
The Brave New World Foundation is a platform to realize Alyosha’s vision to help those in need, especially young children, so that they are empowered to realize their potential.
GENESIS
Alyosha Kumar was born on 10th December 1984 during the freezing winter, in the far eastern Russian Port of Vladivostok.
He was a very intelligent, compassionate and humane person, who always expressed his views with conviction and without fear or favour. He would stick his neck out to fight injustice and would often say “I cannot stay quiet in the face of injustice”. It may not be coincidental that he was born on Human Rights Day!
Throughout his primary and secondary schooling at Naval Public Schools, Lawrence School, Lovedale and later Modern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi, he excelled in academics and sports with equal ease. He appeared for SATS in 2001 and obtained a score of 1500, which was exceptional by any means.
For his higher studies, he opted to go in for humanities and joined the National Law School of India University, Bangalore (No. 1 Law School in India), in June 2002, standing 9th in order of merit all India, in the entrance exam.
His parents and well wishers, in pursuance of Alyosha’ desire(WILL), have set-up a public charitable trust, “The Brave New World Foundation”. The name has suggested itself from Mr. Dev Lahiri’s tribute to Alyosha. Success of the trust would be a truly befitting tribute to Alyosha’s life and the values he stood for.
OUR OBJECTIVES
The advancement or promotion of education and learning in all its branches in such manner as the trustees may think fit including :-
- Awarding scholarships, freeships or otherwise and cash payments to poor persons and widows desirous of receiving primary, secondary and higher education in India or abroad, as also providing books, uniforms and such other educational assistance as students may require.
- Awarding Scholarship in India and Fellowships and grants by way of loan or otherwise and on such terms and conditions as the Trustees may think fit for the purposes of undertaking, prosecuting and encouraging research work in any branch of Law, Engineering, Medicine or any other branch or branches of modern applied science in its widest and more comprehensive sense.
- Establishment and support of Professorship, Fellowships, Lectureships, Scholarships and prizes at any School, College or other Educational Institutions.
- To undertake research in any field and / or make payment to any University, College, Association or Institution to be used for research in any field. Establishment and / or acquisition and maintenance and / or support of School, Colleges, Vocational / Educational Guidance and Counseling Bureaus, Students Hostels, Study Centers, Research Centers, Universities and other Institutions or Funds for imparting education and training of students.
Let's start doing your bit for the world. Donate a little.
Alyosha's Will
Holding Trustees
Cmde Arun Kumar
Cmde Arun Kumar had a distinguished career, in the Indian Navy, of 31 years, of which 28 years was spent in the Submarine Arm. He held various Command and Staff appointments in the Service, both in the field and Staff at all levels.
Mrs. Deepa Kumar
Mrs. Deepa Kumar is a compassionate, warm-hearted and very generous lady. She worked with Air India, as cabin crew, from 1977 –1990. She quit her job to take care of Alyosha and bring him up as a good citizen.
Mrs. Prabha Rao
Mrs. Rao, an architect by profession,and a partner in a firm with her late architect husband for many years. She was particularly close to Alyosha, and he also had great regard and affection for her, ever since he was an infant.
Top Executive Trustees
Shri Dhirendra Singh
Shri Dhirendra Singh is a 1968 batch IAS Officer from Karnataka cadre, who had a very distinguished career in the Government Service.
Shri Partha Sen
Mr. Sen is an eminent scholar and is a class fellow of Cmde Arun Kumar, from Modern School Barakhamba Road, New Delhi.
Smt Sumathi Bopaiya
Mrs. Bopaiya, wife of late Cdr. M.P. Bopaiya retd, was a Professor in Psychology at Mount Carmel College in Bangalore. She was also a Industrial Counsellor..
Kalyani Patnaik
Ms. Patnaik, wife of an Army veteran, is an educationalist. Her son Aditya and Alyosha were class mates in the Naval Children School, Mumbai in 1992-1994.
Shweta Dogra
A global multinational with expertise in brand management, strategy and digital marketing. An engineer from Punjab University, Chandigarh with an MBA
Source Of Funding
The initial seed capital of the Trust to the tune of half a million rupees was Alyosha’s own money from his insurance and the savings made in his name. An equal amount was donated by his father. The recurring sources of funding would be donations from well-wishers, public at large and revenues generated from investments made by the Trust. The Trust has been granted tax exemptions under form 12(A) of the Income Tax Act for the income(s) which would accrue to the Trust from time to time. The Trust has also obtained exemption under Section 80(G)to enable Donors to be exempt from/claim deductions on the amounts donated by them.